Links of the Day

Lord of the Rings: Born of Hope Film - The power of united fandom results in this well made film complete with special effects, music and more that is based on two paragraphs from Tolkien's Appendix. The movie is essentially the origin story of Aragorn. It was filmed around the United Kingdom at the cost of 25,000 pounds and directed by Kate Madison. It is worth seeing, if only to marvel at what a determined group can do to pay homage to something they love.

Top 1% Taxpayers, Income Doubles, Tax Rates Halved - As a sign that the Republican Party truly exists for one goal - to help the rich. "Between 2001 and 2007, the 400 richest taxpayers doubled their annual incomes to an average of $345 million, while their effective tax rate plummeted to only 16.6% from 29.4% in 1993." The chart to the left shows how over the last 100 years there has been this movement, mostly driven by Republicans, to shift the tax burden from the rich to the poor and middle class with the most dramatic changes occurring during the Bush years when the Republican congress was rubberstamping everything. It actually gets worse. "the 2003 Bush dividend and capital gains tax cuts offered almost nothing to taxpayers earning below $100,000 a year. Instead, those windfalls reduced taxes "on incomes of more than $10 million by an average of about $500,000." As the Times revealed in a jaw-dropping chart, "the top 2 percent of taxpayers, those making more than $200,000, received more than 70% of the increased tax savings from those cuts in investment income." These are the same cuts that Republicans are currently trying to make permanent. They don't benefit most of the constituents nor most Americans but they go on TV frequently and lie about how they do. However, the cuts are estimated to cost the government around $7 trillion in revenue by 2019...which sure would be useful in eliminating the deficit that many, especially GOP Tea Partier's, claim they want.

Action Comics #1 Sells for $1 Million - Someone really wanted the issue which sold for $1 million within moments of being put online at ComicConnect.com. Before Monday, the issue's top value was $317,200 but I guess not anymore. The reason for the high value to the buyer is likely because while around 100 copies still exist, only two are in decent shape. If only our great grandparents kept their stuff the same way we do now right? But then again, all that stuff would have the same value most of our kept stuff has now...which is none if don't count sentimental value.

A Nightmare on Elm Street Poster and Review - The remake is hitting theatres soon and so far the visual teases here and there seem exciting. However, as the spoiler rich review indicates, the teases just may be the only good parts of the film as I have yet to read anything kind about the movie. Apparently it falls in the same ballpark of all the recent horror remakes, which is barely a step above direct to DVD or SyFy Saturday night crap.